A complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned is called what?

• A. Spontaneous recovery
• B. Instinct
• C. Extinction
• D. Habituation

Answer: (B)

Instinct is a complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and unlearned. It’s inherited and widespread, so most individuals perform the behavior without practice, and its sequence tends to be relatively fixed. Once the right cue triggers it, the action unfolds almost automatically, serving adaptive functions across development. Examples include fixed action patterns like a sea turtle hatchling heading to the ocean or a bird instinctively performing certain courtship or nesting activities. This stands in contrast to learned processes: spontaneous recovery and extinction involve changes in responses that come from conditioning and experience, while habituation is a simple form of learning where repeated exposure to a stimulus reduces the response rather than reflecting an innate, species-wide pattern.